Jonjo O'Neill jnr suspended for 12 days after taking wrong course in hurdle

Conditional jockey Jonjo O'Neill jnr was hit with a 12-day ban for taking the wrong course on Project Bluebook in the 2m handicap hurdle at Wetherby.

O'Neill jnr held a length lead on the John Quinn-trained six-year-old before mistakenly bypassing the first flight in the home straight, which is usually the third-last.

The second-last had been dolled off as it had been damaged on the first circuit, while the three flights in the back straight were omitted due to the low-lying sun.

Chief steward Adrian Sharpe said: "Mr O'Neill came in and held his hands up and admitted it was his own fault. He looked up once and saw the chevrons at the second-last and assumed it was the third-last being bypassed. It wasn't until he looked up again as he was going round it that he realised he had taken the wrong course."

O'Neill jnr, who returned to action last month after fracturing his jaw in a fall at Southwell in August, faces another spell on the sidelines as he will sit out the period from October 30 to November 10.
The Cheltenham Festival-winning rider refused to comment on the incident.

Victory went to 3-1 favourite Antunes, who won by ten lengths from Theatre Legend under Harry Skelton, who said: "It was misfortunate for poor Jonjo. He's an improving horse but who knows what would have happened."

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